Button blank slicing machine



June 2, 155,53 M. R. osTRocHovsKY 2,640,380

BUTTON BLANK SLICING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l rmN June 2, l1953' M. R. osTRocHovsKY BUTTON BLANK sLIcING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 195o 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 2, 1953 M. R. os'rRocHovsKY 2,640,330

BUTTON BLANK SLICING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 june 2, w53 M. R. osrRocHovsKY 2,640,380

' BUTTON BLANK sLIcING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 195o 4 sheets-syet 4 v y@ /Z Patented June 2, 1953 BUTTON BLANK SLICING MACHINE Milan R. Ostrochovsky, Fairlawn, N. J., assigner to Standard Button Machine Co., Inc., Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New York Application August 2, 195o, serial N. 177,185

(c1. isi-15) y 12 Claims.

This invention relates to button yblank slicing machines and has for its primary object to -provide a machine adapted to receive cylindrical cores of mixed lengths and in random positions and automatically to feed, orient, slice and discharge the cores as button blanks.

The machine has been contrived primarily with mother-of-pearl in view as thev material operated upon, and it will be illustratively described in connection with mother-of-pearl. It is to be understood, however, that the machine is applicable to other materials.

In the making of button blanks from motherof-pearl, cylindrical cores of predetermined diameter but of mixed lengths are drilled from shells by means of hollow cylindrical drills. The core or slug diameters chosen are likely to be from twelve to thirty-six lignes. ,The cores thus formed are apt to vary in length and thickness from a minimum too thin to form a `button blank up to a maximum of perhaps a half-inch or so. According to conventional practice the cores are hand-fed to a slicing machine which employs cutting discs or saws about .015 thick and which slices the cores into blanks two and one-half to three and one-half lignes in thickness according to the spacing of the saws. Since the cores are made of predetermined diameters all the cores of a given lot`will be of the same diameter and to that extent at least will be well adapted to be dealt with automatically. The fact that the blanks are oi mixed lengths, however, and that they are received initially in random positions presents serious difculties from the standpoint of automatic slicing.

In accordance with a practical and advantageous embodiment of the invention, the automatic button slicing machine is made to include a 'hopper having an open funnel-like bottom from which cores of mixed lengths are discharged in random positions, a separator for regulating the discharge of the cores from the hopper, a guide for `conducting the cores from the hopper, a spinner for receiving the cores and setting them into rotation with their axes disposed in a predetermined direction, the spinner comprising a series of rollers movable sequentially in a common orbit, and means for rotating the rollers about their individual axes all in the same direction, a set of slicing cutters disposed at a cutting station,

a core supporting wheel co-axial with the spinner and driven in unison with it and including clamps for'carrying the cores through the cutting station, and means` for transferring cores from the spinner to the core supporting wheel in advance of the cutting station,

Other advantageous'features of the invention 'coordinated combinations and arrangements' of these parts with one another.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter` appeal.

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away,of a novel automaticslicing machine embodying features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a View in front elevation, partly in` f section and partly broken away, of the machine illustrated in Figure 1 together with a collecting` receptacle Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in sec` tion and partly broken-away, the section being taken upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 isv a fragmentary view in sectional elevation, the section being taken upon the liney '3 4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 isa fragmentary sectional view, taken upon the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of therarrows, the core supporting whee :being partially shown in broken lines;

Figure 6 is afragmentary sectional view, taken through the spinner and core supporting wheel, the section being taken upon the line 6-6 of Figure 7, looking in the `direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is asectional view, taken upon` the line 1 7 of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detailed view showing particularly the mounting of one of the move" able clamping jaws on the core supporting wheel and the saws of vthe cutter associated with said jaw.

As an aid to an understanding of the detailed description the machine will be first-,briefly described iny a comprehensivemanner without attention to detail. The cores or slugs I, all of the same diameter but of mixed lengths, are dumped into a hopper 2 (Figure 3) having an open funnel-like bottom. A disc'separator 3 rotates about; a horizontal axis beneath thev open bottom ofthe hopper and is formed with a core receiving recess :i ofk adjustable depth. At each revolution of the separator it' is intended that one vor more cores will be carried away in the recess djand discharged into a chute which leads down and In the drawing forming part of this specifica- I l tion,

' which is carried by a driven shaft 9. The wheels 6 travel in a common orbital path about the axis of the shaft 9 and are all caused through suitable gearing to. rotate` rapidly in a common direction. The wheels may be knurled or smooth. While they do not contact one another, each stands in proximity to its neighbors so that even a very thin core cannot slip through between two adjacent Wheels. A core received between two of the wheels is quickly set into motion, and even though it be a very thin core it will quickly be caused automatically to assume a position in which its own axis extends parallel to the axes of the rollers E.

As the cores are spun to orient them they are carried forward from the point at which they were received from the chute to a peint' at which they are to he discharged from the spinner 'l to a core supporting wheel le which is also mounted upon and driven in unison with the shaft 9.

The transfer from. the spinner to the core supporting wheel is effected by a pusher rod l l which is reciprocably mounted in. a rocker arm support l2. The rocker arm I2 is rockably mounted on the shaft 9 and is arranged to travel in unison with the spinner l' and the core supporting wheel Itv from the full line position indicated in Figure 3 to the broken line position indicated at 12a in Figure 3, and then to return to the full line position as the arm I2 travels .forward The pusher rod Il is caused to execute a complete recipro cation including core transferring and return strokes as the rocker arm l2 travels forward, the core or cores in the course of this operation being pushed through a lll-guide I3 which is formed in a portion of the rocker arm l2.

As a result of the transferring operation de scribed the cores are delivered onto the core supporting wheel at a receiving station located in advance of a cutter I4, For each spinner couple on the spinner 1 the core supporting wheel lll is provided with a clamp comprising a xed jaw I5 and a movable jaw l5. The movable jaws stand normally open but each movable jaw is forced by a stationary cam l'l to move to a closed position at the receiving station and to clamp the cores firmly in place as they travel past the saw or cutter at the cutting station. After the cores have been carried through the cutting sta.- tion and sliced into button blanks the associated jaw is` caused to open so that the blanks may be deposited by gravity into a discharge chute i8.

The hopper 2 is pivotally supported by means of a hinge I9 upon a frame member 2li. The hopper is provided with ears 2l' at its opposite sides which bear through springs 22 upon arms 23 of levers 24. The levers 24 are pivotally mounted upon a pivot rod 25 which is carried by the frame member 20. The levers 24 are rigidly connected to one another by a connecting rod 26 and include downturned arms 21 which, through follower rollers 28, bear upon cam portions 29 of discs 3| which form side walls of the separator 3. The cam portions 29 include agitating teeth 3G 'through which agitating impulses are imparted to the hopper.

Between the discs 3l there is interposed a come paratively' thick disc 32 which is cut away for its full thickness and to a uniform and substantial depth for more than half of its angular extent, so that an extensive pocket is formed between the discs 3l. The pocket' is covered at one end by a thin, tapering masking sector 33 which is secured between the discs 3i and which provides a nearly cylindrical outer surface to form an extension of the cylindrical surface of the disc 32.

A sector 3e of tapering thickness is mounted in the pocket' dened by the discsy Si and 32 with provision for angular adjustment. A clamping screw 35 is passed through an arcuate slot 56 formed in one of the discs 3|, and is threaded into the sector 34. The inner wall of the sector 34 is of hollow cylindrical form, being adapted to nt against a complementary cylindrical surface 3l of the disc 32 throughout its adjustivc range, The forward extremity of the wedge or sector 3ft is made thin, but the outer wall of the sector is of spiral form so that the radius gradually increases from substantially that ci the surface 37 at the forward end to that of the inner surface 38 of the masking sector 33 at the rear end. At the rear endthe sector 3s is.

of maximum thickness for an extent substantially equal to the angular extent of the masking scctor 33.

The separator denes a core receiving recessv` which travels beneath the hopper at cach revolution of the separator, the recess having a for ward radial` wall 39 formed on the disc 3?., side walls formed on the discs 3i, and a floor formed either by the outer face of the sector 3d alone or by that face in combination with the surface 3l of the disc 32. The disc provides no iifth recess wall, but a movable wall is provided on the hopper itself. A stationary arm 4G, axed to the hopper, pivotally supports an arm il upon enrich a movable wall member #l2 is made fast. The wall i2 extends substantially tangent to the hop per wall and bears against the periphery of the disc 32. The movable wall drops down into the recess as soon as the wall 39 has moved clear'oi it, to close the iifth side of the pocket. The movable wall is gradually camine@ upward by the spiral face of the sector 3d and across the masking sector 33 and onto the periphery of the disc 32 once more.

Besides cooperating with the movable wall 42 in the manner just described, the sloping surA face oi the sector 34 cooperates in a very important way with the cores. It will sometimes happen that a core which has partially escaped from the hopper cannot move completely clear of the hopper. in such a case, if the separator carried an unyielding, abrupt rear pocket wall,

. breakage of some sort would have to occur. The

spiral face of the sector 34, however, simply cams the obstructed core back into 'the hopper far enough to clear the separator so that the core thus returned may have a fresh chance to enter the deepest part of the emptied recess the next time the recess comes into receiving position.

The sector 3d is made adjustable in order to regulate the capacity of the pocket. It is expected that at times a plurality of cores will be carried away from the hopper together. It is not desired, however, that cores whose combined length exceeds the width of the core supporting wheel shall be delivered together. By adjusting the sector forward and backward an optimum adjustment can be determined for causing the maximum practical average rate of delivery to be achieved without exceeding the maximum permissible rate. The separator 3 is driven by. a shaft G upon which the discs 3i and 32 are made fast.

The cores carried away from the hopper by the separator are dumped into the chute down which they tumble and slide to the spinner 1. The spinner 1 comprises the carrier wheel 8 having two flanges between which thespinner rollersT 6 are revolubly carried, the rollers being made fast upon their respective shafts 45 and the shaftsl being mounted in bearings 41 provided in the flanges. In the illustrative machine there are ten of the rollers 6, all disposed at equal intervals in a common orbit, and just far enough apart to escape engagement with one another. Each shaft 48 has fast upon one of its ends a driving pinion 48, and the ten pinions 48 are driven, in common by a gear 49. The gear 49 is mounted upon the shaft 9 but is driven vat a much higher angular speed than the shaft 9 in order to cause the spinner rollers 6 to turn rapidly. The geary49 bears at one side against the spinner 9 and at the other side against a conning collar 58 which is made fast upon the shaft 9. As the rollers 6-spin to set the cores into rotation and thereby Yto orient' the cores, they travel in their common orbit about the axis of the shaft 9. The purpose of the orbital movement' is to keep each of the individual spinners formed by two of the adjacent rollers 6 in axial alignment with corresponding clamps provided on the core supporting wheel IU.

In this way the travelling core supporting wheel which carries the cores past the cutter can be caused to receive cores from the spinner without having its uniform rotary motion interrupted or modified. I

The core supporting wheel comprises a hub 5I having a. flange 52 and a disc 53 Whose margin extends outward beyond the body of the hub. The hub 5I and the disc 53 are secured to one another, and the hub 54 of the disc 53 is keyed to the shaft 9. As illustrated, the hub 5I is made integral with the carrier 8', but this is not essential so long as the core supporting wheel and carrier are both made fast upon the shaft 9 for rotation in unison with the shaft and with one another.

A hollow sleeve or cylinder 58 is lsecured between the disc 53 and the flange 52, and is provided with ten of the fixed clamping jaws I5, each formed with a V-notch 58 which is in line with the bite or angle formed by one of the adjacent pairs of spinner rollers 6. The jaws I5 extend part way into slots 59 which are formed in the cylinder 56, but protrude beyond the periphery ofthe cylinder. The jaws I5 are desirably secured to the cylinder by welding. i

A movable jaw I6 cooperates with each fixed jaw I5. Each movable jaw is supported upon a pivot pin 50 carried by the disc 53 just inside the hollow cylinder 58 and by the flange 52 on the hollow cylinder 56. Each vjaw I6 comprises an outwardly extending arm 6I which passes through one of the slots 59, a circumferentially extending clamping arm 62, and a tail portion 89. The arms 6I and 82 of the movable'jaws and the walls of the fixed jaws are slotted down to the maximum depth of penetration of the cutting discs of the cutter I4 (see particularly Figures l, 2, 5,

'7 and 8) Each tail portion 53 is thrust clockwise by a compression spring 84 which protrudes from a recess 95 formed in the hub 5I, to bias the movable jaw toward an open position. Each pivot pin 89 is also provided 'with an arm 95a which carries a cam follower roller 86 (Figures 5 and 7) for cooperating with the clamp controlling cam I1.

The cam is constructed and arranged to Yclose each movable clamping jaw I5 just after a .core

or series of cores has been received and before: Each movable jaw isf held closed until the; clamped work has been the pusher rod I I recedes.

carried past `the cutting station, after which vthe jaw is permitted to open for releasing the sliced button blanks. The cam I1 is provided with a non-circular mounting stem 51 which is received in a non-circular bore 68 of a hollow arm 59 that projectsffrom a frame member 1U. A spring 1I lodged in the bore 68 urges the cam toward follower engaging position.

The transfer of each core or associated group of cores is effected by the pusher rod II which, as has been previously pointed out, is carried by a rocker arm I2. An explanation of this mechanism requires, howevena preliminary understanding of the drive mechanism and therelative tim'- ing ofthe -principal operating parts.

The principal drive motor 12 is connected through pulleys 13 and 14 and a belt15 to driveV the shaft 45 upon which the disc separator is made fast. driven at the rate of forty revolutions per minute so that forty core charges per minutel are delivered to the spinner. For purely illustrative purposes this rate of operation willbe assumed in s a pin 89, the pin being affixed to a stationary frame memberSI. The gear 19 is provided with a ten-toothed hub 82 which is pinned to the shaft 9 and which constitutes a clutch member.

A complementary shiftable clutch member '83. also provided with ten teeth, is slidably carried upon a hollow shaft 84 which forms a unitary part of the rocker arm I2. A clutch shifting fork 85 mounted on a fixed pivot pin A86 embraces the clutch member 93 and carries shifting pins 81 which extend into a circumferential groove or cir-` cumferentially extending grooves of the clutch member. The tension spring 88 is connected at one end to a tail portion of the fork 85 and at the opposite end to a' screw 89 which isl adjustably threaded through an ear 99 of Ithe frame member 8 I. The spring 88 urges the clutch shifting fork toward clutch engaging position.

' So long as the clutch members are engaged the rocker Varm I2 is carried forward in unison with the shaft 9, and hence in unison with the spinner carrier 9 and the core vsupporting wheel I9. Provision is made, however, of means for automatically disengaging the clutch members ten times in the course of one revolution of the shaft 9 and for returning the rocker arm to itsstarting position each time the clutch members are disengaged. It is while 'the rocker arm is travelling forward in unison wi'th the spinner and the core supporting wheel that the plunger rod II is thrust forward to'effect a core transfer and then retracted.

For the purpose of reciprocating the plunger rod II a dovetailed slide 9! is slidably mounted in a stationary dovetailed guideway 92. The slide includes a laterally extending arm 93 in which an arcuate slot 94 (Fig. 4) is formed. The slot is made concentric with the axisof the shaft'9 and is long enough to accommodate the angular movement of the plunger rod II with the rocker arm I2. A rear hollow section 95 of the plunger rod II (Fig. 2) has a reduced rear, end portionaSa` It may be assumed that this shaft is' assenso v 7; passed through the,A slot 94. the reduced end portion 96. compels `the section 95 to move axially in unison with the slide while leaving it free to travel along the slot.

The forward section of the plunger rod I comprises a long slender forward portion 9B and a larger rear portion 99. The rear portion 99 is contained within the hollow section 95 and is urged forward by a compression coil spring |93 which is also contained within the hollow section 95. The slender forward end 90- extends through a restricted opening provided in the forward end of the hollow section 95, this opening being too small to pass the rod portion 99. 1 When the slide is thrust forward it is moved to a clenite forward limit and carries the rod section 95 to a definite-forward limit. Because the core or cores being transferred will have different aggregate lengths the spring |09 is provided. When the rod portion 9B is arrested by the cores having been moved to their forward limit of movement the hollow member 95 can continue forward to its prescribed forward limit.

For operating the slide 9| in properly timed relation withthe other parts the shaft 45 is connected through bevel gears I9! and |02 to drive a vertical shaft |93 (Fig. 2) in unison with itself. The shaft |93 is in turn connected through bevel gears |84 and |05 to drive a horizontal shaft |03 in unison with. itself. It will thus be seen that the shaft |96 travels at the same angular speed as the shaft t5. A flywheel |01 has adjustably connected to it a connecting rod |09, the opposite end of the connecting rod being pivotally connected to the slide 9|. The connection from the flywheel 19'! to the connecting rod |08 is effected through a slide H9 which is slidably mounted in a radial groove formed in one face of the flywheel |07. A clamping screw |I2 is passed through a radial slot I |3 of the iiywheel and threaded. into the slide for securing the slide in any selected position of adjustment. The slide I9 carries a pivot pin I4 upon which `the connecting rodA |08 is rotatively mounted.

As the parts are illustrated in Figure 2, the clutch members 82 and 83 are disengaged and the pusher rod ll is in its most retracted position. The flywheel |01, as viewed in Figure 2, is turning counter-clockwise at the rate of forty revolutions per minute while the shaft 9 is turning away from the. observer at the rate of four revolutions per minute. As soon as the connecting rod |08 moves away from the dead center position illustrated the slide-9| and the pusher rod will begin to move toward the left. B efore the forward end of the pusher rod has moved between adjacent pinions 48 of the spinner, the clutch members 82 and 83 will have become engaged and the rocker arm I2 will'be moving in unison with the shaft 9 with the pusher rod perfectly aligned for cooperating with the spinner and with the core supporting wheel.

AsV the slide is shown in Figure 2, an abutment carried by the arm 93 of the slide is pressing against a roller IIB carried at the upper end of the fork 85 to hold the fork in clutchdisengaging position. The abutment ||5 is carried at the forward end of a headed screw Ill. The screw lll is threaded through an ear H9 of the arm 93 and is locked in adjusted position by a lock nut H9. As the slide moves forward carrying the abutment ||5 with it the fork 85 is permitted, under the influence of the spring 88, to carry the teeth of clutch member 83 into position to be overtaken and driven by the teeth -A collar 9T fixed onthe teeth of clutch member 82 pickv up vthe teeth of the clutch member 83, the pusher rod is perfectly aligned with one of the pairs of spinner rollers 6 and with one of the clamps of the core supporting wheel to push a core or cores oi of the spinner, through the V-guide of the rocker arm i2, and into the clamp. This alignment is maintained until the pusher rod has advanced to push the core or cores into a clamp and then returned to a position clear of the pinions 48. At that time the connecting rod |09 is still short of the dead center position in which it is illustrated in Figure 2.

Just after the tip of the rod member 98 clears the pinions 48, however, the abutment I|5 bccomes effective, through the fork 85, to shift the clutch member 83 out of engagement with the clutch member 82. A compression coil spring |20, which bears at one end in a cavity of an abutment post |2| and at the other end in a cavity |22 formed in the lower end of the rocker arm l2, snaps the rocker arm I2 back to its original position, as illustrated in Figure 4. The rocker |2 is connected through a link |23 to the piston |24 of a dashpot |25. The dashpot includes a cylindrical chamber |25a formed in a stationary block |251), The rear wall of the chamber |25a is provided with a restricted aperture 25e. A flap valve |25d covers a larger aperture |25e that extends through the piston |24. In the Figure 4 position the rocker arm is limited against further counter-clockwise movement (as viewed in Figure 4) by engagement of the piston |24 with the rear end wall of the cylinder |25a.. In this position the pusher rod does not align with the next clamp, the range of movement of the rocker arm l2 being a little bit less than one-tenth of a revolution of the shaft 9. The pusher rod is, however, detained in a position such that it will align with the next clamp the instant that the driving of the clutch member 83 by the clutch member 82 is resumed.

In addition to the other gearing driven by the shaft 45 which has -already been mentioned, the shaft 45 has fast upon it a large gear |26 which is in mesh with the broad gear 49 by which the pinions 48 of the spinner rollers are driven. The gear train disclosed is effective to drive the spinner rollers at a considerably higher rotary speed than the shaft 45, the purpose being to drive the rollers fast enough to cause the desired orientation of the cores.

The cutter I4 consists of a series of diamond cutting discs |21 between which spacer discs |28 of lesser diameter are interposed. The cutting discs and spacers are secured upon a shaft |29 between clamping discs |30 and |3|, the latter disc being held in place by a clamping nut |33 which is threaded onto a reduced end portion of the shaft |29. The shaft |29 is revolubly mounted in a bearing |34 of a frame standard '10. The shaft |29 has fast upon it a double pulley |38 which is driven through twin belts |31 from a double pulley |38 fast on the shaft |39 of a. drive motor |40. The speed of the cutter has no relation to the other operating parts save that the cutter should be capable of slicing through the cores in the time made available for the purpose. A suitable cutter speed has been found to be thirty-four hundred revolutions per minute., Upon reference to Figure 3, it will be seen that the cores are received by the spinner apprcximately four-tenths of a revolution of the shaft 9 in advance of the median cutting position.

y of the pinions 48.

They are carried forward with the spinner through two-tenths of a revolution before they are brought into line with the pusher rod II.

' The pusher rod then travels forward a little less than one-tenth of a revolution in unison with the shaft 9 and the spinner carrier, during which vthe pusher rod advances to effect transferl of the cores to the core supporting wheel and then to execute a sufficient return stroke to carry it clear When the rocker arm has been advanced nearly one-tenth `of a revolution the clutch is released and the rocker arm snaps back to the position illustrated in Figure 3.

When the cores have been carried forward about one-twentieth of a revolution further the cutting jbegins, and for about another one-tenth of a revolution the cores Iare carried in intersecting relation to the saws. As the cores move clear of the saws the movable clamping jaws I are opened. The chute I8 for catching the sliced button blanks extends downward through the table top I4I upon which the machine is mounted and to which the frame members of the machine are desirably affixed, 'and directs the blanks into a collecting receptacle IM which is located beneathy the table.

I have described what I believe to be the best I embodiment of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiment shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: .1. In a machine for slicing cylindrical cores into button blanks, in combination, a hopper for the cores having an open funnel-like bottom through which the cores escape in random positions, and a separator disc rotatable beneath the hopper and having a core receiving recess, said -recess being of maximum depth at its leading end L: and tapering substantially to the vanishing point at its trailing end so that any core partially discharged from the hopper but unable to move free of it will be cammed back out of the way of `the disc.

2,'In a machine for slicing cylindrical cores into button blanks, in combination, a hopper 'Y for thecores having an open funnel-like bottom through which the cores escape in random positions, a separator disc rotatable beneath the hopper and having a core receiving recess, said recess being of maximum depth at its leading end and tapering substantially to the vanishing point at its trailingend so that any core'partially discharged from the hopper but unable to move free of it will be cammed back out of the way of the disc, and a core retaining Wall member mcvablymounted on the hopper to prevent spill- Y ing of the cores out of the disc recess, said wall member being adapted automatically to close one vside of the disc recess and to be cammed out of the way by the recess Hoor.

3. In a machine for slicing cylindrical cores into button blanks, in combination, a vhopper for the .cores having an openfunnel-like bottom of angular adjustment to vary the capacity of the recess.

4. In a machine for slicing cylindrical cores of mixed lengths into button blanks, in combination, a core spinning couple adapted to receive the cores in random positions and to set them into rotation with their axes disposed in a predetermined direction, said spinner comprising a pair of closely adjacent but non-contacting rollers, means for rotating the rollers rapidly in the same direction, means for guiding the cores to and through the spinning couple, and means for discharging the cores as rearranged from the spinning couple.

5. In a machine for slicing cylindrical cores of mixed lengths into button blanks, in combination, a core spinner adapted to receive the cores in random positions and to set them into rotation with their axes disposed in a predetermined direction, said spinner comprising a rotary carrier, a series of rollers supported on the carrier for planetary movement in a common orbit with each roller disposed in proximity to its neighbors, means for rotating all the rollers rapidly about their individual axes in the same direction, means for guiding the cores to and through the spinner, and means for discharging the cores as rearranged from the spinner.

6. In a machine for slicing cylindrical cores of mixed lengths into button blanks, a core spinner adapted to receive the cores in random positions and to setthem into rotation with their axes disposed in a predetermined direction, said spinner comprising va rotary carrier, a series of rollers supported on the carrier for planetary movement I in a common orbit with each roller disposed in proximity to its neighbors, means for rotating al1 the rollers rapidly about their individual axes in the same direction, a core supporting wheel coaxial with said carrier and connected for rotation in unison therewith, clamps carried by thev core supporting wheel for receiving the cores by axial thrust from the spinner, and cutters disposed at a cutting station for slicing the cores as they are carried through the cutting station by the core supporting Wheel.

7. In a machine for slicing cylindrical cores of mixed lengths into button blanks, a core spinner adapted to receive the cores in random positions and to set them into rotation with their axes disposed in a predetermined direction, said spinner comprising a rotary carrier, a series of rollers supported on the carrier for planetary movement in a common orbit with each roller disposed in poximity to its neighbors, means for rotating all the rollers rapidly about their individual axes in the same direction, a core supporting Wheel coaxial with said carrier and connected for rotation in unison therewith, clamps carried by the core supporting wheel for receiving the cores. by axial thrust from the spinner, cutters disposed at a cutting station for slicing the cores as they are .carried through the cutting station by the core supporting wheel, a reciprocable core pusher, an oscillatory pusher support, operating mechanism for the support constructed and arranged to cause it to travel forward in unison with the spinner from a core receiving station to a point short of the cutting station and then to return to the receiving station, and pusher operating mechanism constructed and arranged to cause the pusher to execute a complete reciprocation including core transferring and return strokes as the support travels vforward in unison with the spinner.

8. iii a 'fh'eehiiie for slicing cylindrical 'cores of l 'mixed lengths into button blanks, a core spinner adapted to receive the cores ih random positions and "to set theni into rotation with their axes disj d in i predetermined direction, said spinner comprlsin'ga rotary carrier, a series of rollers "supported ori the carrier for planetary movement e, toriiihori orbit with each roller disposed in pixii'r'iity to its neighbors, ineans for rotating all fthe' rollers 'rapidly about their individuel axes in 'saine direction, a core supporting Wheel coaxial Withvsaid'carier and connected for rotation in unison therewith, clamps carried by the ycore supporting Wheel for receiving' the cores by `axial thrust from the spinner, cutters disposed et a out g ,station for slicing the cores as they yare airied throughthe cutting station by the 're's'lbpfrting Wheel, a reprocable core 'push- 'ifan'oscillatoiy pusher support, operating mech- ,afriisrii'igth support constructed and arranged "t" iiseit to trai/'e1 lfeint/atti in iihisoh with the nner r'on acore receiving' `station to `a, point :s'h'iftf the cutting station and then to return t the v'recelviii'g station, and pusher pe'rating the `psher to eciite a co'riplete reciprocation yiiciicliig ebre'tran'sfer'ring and return strokes as the'support travels 'forward in unison with the 'said einer iheiiidihg e guide through y dii the soies sie `thi-ust from the spinner to "the eoi'e stipt ting' wheel.

f iii s maehinefr siicihgeyiihdrioai cores of meti lengths iii'tohiittoh'tiahks, ti eoie spinner apte' tereceive the cores inyrandom positions lt settheiiiihto rotation with their 4tetes dis- Ad il a predetermined direction, said spinner a rtarytcarrier, a series of rollers y ijtd on the ycarrier iorplanetary movement 'ae'oinrnn/bibit vvith each roller disposed in p-resiiiiitiitoits neighbors, ineens for rotating au theioiiersrapidly abit their individual axes in the saniedii'ectin 'a'core supporting Wheel co- `7 carrier and connected lfor rotaon ihfni on therewith, clamps fcarried'by the 'toresptoitiiigwiieei for ifeeeivihg the'eores hy 4axial, thrust )from the spinner, cutters disposed at hieiittiigstat" ror siieihg the cores es they {"fe'fc' 'rif'd 'through ther'ycut'ting `station by the 0s 'g Wheel, a reciprcable core `hushnsfci at ."anisi fior 'the'supprt constructed and arranged ,to euse it'ftoftraiel forward in unison With the spin erffiina 'oie receiving station to a point ,sho `ofthe stationy and then to .returnrto the re'ci "ng station, and pusher operating mech- Ava'iis'n' ,ei sti'fiilted and arranged to'cause the fpu'sher' to zeeute 'a4 complete reciprocation in- ,tldiiig die 'transferring and return strokes es lthelkfsii o it tietelsiorweie ih imi'soh with the er'incl'uding'a guide through r Y ethr'st from the 'spinner` to vthe Y oresil'ppiii-ting wheel, and said pusher opat Ag inehanisin "including a `cpinpression isp sjfbij testing. 'the einher yldinely i0- Aii'ai dth'e' c'oie" supporting Wheel.

ani constructed and arranged to cause ry pilisher support, peratihg mech- 10. In a machine 'for slicing cylindrical cores into button blanks, 'in combination, a hopper 'hav-v ing an open funnel-like bottom from which cores of mixed lengths are discharged in random positions, a separator for regulating the dischaig'ef'of the cores from the hopper, a guide for conduct ing the cores from the hopper, a spinner for receiving the cores and setting them into rotation with their axes disposed in a predetermined direction, said spinner Vco'iriprising a 'series'of roll.. ers Amovable sequentially in acornm'onyorbit, and means for rotating the rollers about their individual axes all inthe saine direction, 'a set of slicing cutters disposed Aat a cutting station, a core supporting Wheel co-axial with'the spinner and driven in'iinisonwith it and including clamps for carrying the cores through the cutting "Station, and means 'for transferring cores friiithe spinner to the core supporting Wheel in advance of the cutting station. l Y

11. Ih 'a machine 'for `slicing cylindrical cores into button blanks, in combination, 'a 'hopper, means guiding the cores fromthe hopper infrandom positions, a slicing cutter, a clamping'bore holder for clamping the cores 'andvfbr carrying them forward before, during and 'after slei'ng,

Iineens for driving the clamping core holder, a

spinner receiving the 'cores guided fr'inthe hopper'anii re-ari-ari'ging them with theiraiiese'xtending in a predetermined direction, 'meahsior feeding the rte-arranged 'cores 'axially yirorrftl'ie spinner to the clamping core holder, 'andmeans for causing the core slices to 'be vreleased fby the 'clamping core holder 'for slicing. i

12t In a machine for si'i'cing cylindrical cores into button blanks, in combination-a slicing cutter, a clamping core holder for clamping the cores Vduring slicing, a'spinner comprising fadjacenthut noncontaeting rollers for! rearranging `cores received in random positions and' supplying the cores to the slicing'cutterwith their axes' extending ina predetermined direction, mean'sor feeding the cores axially-to the piampin'gcore holder, means for driving the clam-ping 'core 'hol'dei'to cause it' to "carry the c'respa'st-the Vslicslicing.

MLAN R. GSTROCHOVSKY.

References Cited in the file of thisipate'nt UNITED STATES 'es'iiniiirs 

